Study Abroad at Victoria University of Wellington

Program Courses

Where can I find a list of courses that the university offers?

1. Open the Victoria University of Wellington online course catalog.
2. In the middle of the page, click the orange "Online Course Catalog" link

What departments can I study in?

As an IFSA-Butler student, you are entitled to enroll in undergraduate courses for which you are qualified and in which space is available. Course descriptions in the online course catalog include prerequisites you must fulfill in order to enroll in each course.

For each course that you list on your preference form, be sure to check the following:

• When determining which courses to take, please bear in mind that the New Zealand academic system is an intensive, three-year program.
  • First-year (100-level) courses are appropriate for departments in which you have little or no prior experience.
  • Second-year (200-level) courses will be equivalent to advanced sophomore or junior-level U.S. courses.
  • Third-year (300-level) courses will be equivalent to senior-level U.S. courses.
  • Fourth-year (400-level) courses and higher are part of a postgraduate degree (Masters or Ph.D.). You are not eligible to take these courses as an undergraduate study abroad student.
  • Portfolios or audition tapes are required for acceptance into architecture, design, music composition and music performance courses.
  • Some CREW and THEA classes are limited entry and require an additional application and samples of previous work. Contact your program advisor for the applications for these classes.
  • Study abroad students are not permitted to take practical education courses.
  • Most LAWS classes are not open to study abroad students. Check the VUW course catalogue for details
• You can only take yearlong courses if you plan to study abroad for the calendar year (semesters 1 and 2, in that order).
• Remember in New Zealand, U.S. fall semester = semester 2 and U.S. spring semester = semester 1. Be sure to select courses for the correct semester you are studying abroad.

Courses

You must take a full course load as determined by IFSA-Butler. Credit will be awarded on a Butler University transcript based on a typical U.S. full course load. All courses are graded on an A–F scale, and there is no provision for pass/fail or auditing courses. You are not allowed to register for online, distance education or hybrid courses.

You should also be aware that you may be charged additional fees by your home institution or host university to take or process additional credits. Taking less than a full course load may jeopardize your student status and result in personal academic repercussions and/or loss of financial aid.

Credits

IFSA-Butler requires students to enroll in a full course load at the host institution. The number of courses you take depends on the credit value of the courses you select. For information on the credit weight, please consult see below.

15 Points at VIC = 4 U.S. semester credit hours
20 Points at VIC = 5 U.S. semester credit hours

Exams

Because of the differences in the academic systems, you will not know your exam schedule until after you arrive at your host university. Your host university's policies do not permit you to reschedule any exams, request alternate assessments or arrange to have your exams proctored in the United States. If this occurs, IFSA-Butler cannot assist you in conducting an academic record query for the course in which you made this arrangement. You will need to complete and submit all academic work prior to departing the program.

Transcripts

After you have returned to the U.S., your home university will receive a Butler University transcript with the credit and grades you earned at Victoria University of Wellington. The Butler University transcript will report the equivalent U.S. semester credit hours and letter grades. We also will send an official transcript to your permanent address.